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A New Balance Between Brain and Brawn

Andy Wilson (Team FGS) / 10.07.2009

The Open Adventure races are always a highlight of the year, especially the longer ones. At a time when most race organisers are shying away from the huge amount of work, and financial foolishness, involved in staging long races, James presses on regardless, and deserves to be supported if only for his altruism, but mainly because they\'re always a huge bundle of fun. James knows that AR in the UK needs these races to provide the tough alternative and give some variety from the regulation wham, bam 3hr trail blast which are becoming the norm simply because they are easy money spinners.

I\'ve done every edition of the Open 24 and only missed the first open 12 because it clashed with a prior engagement on the 3 Peaks Yacht Race, and they\'re always my favourite UK races of the year, simply because they\'re a full weekends entertainment, seamlessly well run and packed full of interesting challenges, so while they might be more expensive than the norm, they\'re always remarkable value.

This year FGS! Had 3 mixed pairs at the Open 12, myself and Kim hoping to give Endurance series leaders Julia & Dave from Accelerate a close run after finishing 2nd at the Open 5+, joined for this race by Si & Jo and Tom & Yvie in her first adventure race.

True to form James had been more secretive than MI5 at the height of the cold war, and very little info leaked out of their Backbarrow bunker, other than the race would be rather different to the usual format. With the location finally revealed as Coed Llandegla in NE Wales, and special guest race planner Tim Higginbottom, who is well known as a top racer in AR circles, and it was no real surprise that, when details were finally revealed a couple of hours before the off, he had even the sharpest AR minds completely perplexed about how best to attack his course.

Making full use of the facilities at Llandegla the race prologue kicked off proceedings. A mtb time trail on the built trails through the forest, with only the fastest 30 pairs proceeding onto the 2nd round. With more points on offer the higher up the final placings, it was a balance between expending too much energy before the main event and staying in touch with, or gapping your main rivals. We set off fairly steady on the first round, hoping to proceed into round 2 which was where we thought our final place would be.

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